Cap.



0. D. SHAW.

' CAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1914.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916..

THE COLUMBIA'PLANOGRAPH 4C0 WASHINGTOMA). C

ORA D. SHAW, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

oer.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed April 7, 1914. Serial No. 830,145.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORA D. SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Caps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to headgear, and more particularly to the class of caps, c0mmonly known as uniform caps used more especially by motormen, conductors, and other uniform men.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a cap wherein the frame or foundation thereof is made from a single piece of loosely interlaced mesh or fabricated cane strips which is cut on the bias and reinforced with a stiffening band extended over a portion of its area to sustain such portion fixed or rigid to avoid expansion or contraction at the basal circumference of the crown of a cap, while the remaining portion is capable of being extended or contracted to permit the proper shaping of the upper part of the said crown, yet the frame when completely constructed is rendered exceedingly light in weight without depreciating its strength, and at the same time assuring flexibility with permanency of original shape of the article irrespective of service and use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cap wherein the frame thereof is neat and attractive in appearance, durable, and also which can be manufautured at a minimum expense, as there is considerable saving of materials and labor in the production of the article.

A- further object of the invention is the provision of a cap wherein its frame is more susceptible of shaping with the least possible labor while making the same to give the individual and desired ornamentality and attractive appearance to the finished article, and also which will obviate the possibility of disfiguring the covering thereof should the same become stretched taut over the frame by reason of shrinkage of the covering material after becoming Wet.

A'still further object of the invention is the provision of a cap wherein the frame is of novel form to give maximum service and to insure the required ventilation when the cap is worn, as well as to give comfort to the wearer.

A still further object of the invention is .after set forth, vand the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a cap embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a portion of the blank from which the frame is made. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of'the frame. a

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

The cap herein illustrated is of the bell crown flat top variety, although the invention is not limited to use in a cap of this particular type.

The frame or foundation for the cap herein shown is designated generally by-A, and it supports and holds in shape the outer covering B of cloth. The lower edge of the outer covering B is folded under the lower 7 edge of the frame, and to which is connected the usual sweat band C which is stitched at its lower edge to the outer covering B, as usual. The visor D is held in place in the usual way by the stitching of the same both to the covering and frame. These parts, with the exception of the frame may have any suitable or usual construction, and form no part of the present invention.

The frame A comprises a body or skeleton form made from loosely interlaced cane strips 5 and 6 respectively, the same being arranged in loose criss-oross fashion interwoven in the manner as shown to form a single piece body, the same being cuton the bias into the desired widths so that the strips 5 and 6 will be disposed in diagonal it has been bent out of shape, and by the making of the body from the strips of ma-. terial and the particular character of interlacing thereof makes the construction extremely light. Of course the strips may be made of any other suitable material which has the desired characteristics, but as heretofore stated, the use of cane material that is ordinarily used in forming the cane seats of chairs is preferred. The woven cane mate rial is cut into bias strips substantially three and three-quarter inches wide, and

said strips are joined end to end by lapping,

one over the other and stitching together, thus forming a continuous roll or length of material. out of which a section for the cap body is cut with no waste of the cane stock.

The. body is cut in the form of a bandl having a length equal to the circumference of the cap and a width substantially equal to the height thereof.

Stitched or otherwise secured to the inner face of the body to extend over substantially one-half of its width and throughout the length thereof is a reinforcing band 7, which is made from. suitable material, such as a piece of linen fabric stiffened by sizing applied thereto, which when united to the body sustains the basal circumferential por tion of the frame fixed or rigid to prevent expansion or contraction thereof, while the remaining portion of the body is free so that by stretching of such portion the upper part of the body can be expanded, or on compressing the free upper portion of the body the same can be contracted, thereby enabling the proper shaping of the frame, after which a wire 8 is stitched or otherwise secured to the uppermost ends of the strips 5 and 6, which holds the body thus shaped for constructing the-frame'of the cap. It is obviously within the scope of my invention ,to cut the interlaced fabric or mesh into strips substantially two inches inwidth and fastening to the upper edge of the basal. band 7, but the preferred width is represented by the height of the cap. It is of course to be understood that prior to the shaping of the body at the uppermost portion thereof the same is bent into ring-like form and the ends of the body are joined together in any suitable manner, that is to say, the blank thus made is formed into circular shape by bringing the ends 9and 10 thereof together and fastening them to each other in any desirable manner either by stitches or a binding tape. The reinforcing band 7 and the wire 8 when fastened to the mesh. Any desired contour can be quickly established bymerely lengthening the wire 8 to produce an extreme bell shape or short-:

ening said wire to form a flaring crown of a less degree, and should an irregular shape be desired, as for example, bell effect-at sides and back but straight front, it is produced by making the width of the body band,

less in front than at the sides and back; Thus, in constructing the fabric or mesh as hereinbefore described it is unnecessary to. remove any of the strips in constructing the said band and thereby avoiding any waste of. material, and at the same time arrivlng at lightness of weight of the frame. A

stretching of the body, by pulling 0111 the same at intervals, of'the upper portion thereof uncovered by the reinforcing band F 7 causes theexpandi'ng of such portion, and 1 thereby enables the desired shape to be had.

The frame thus made is put into the cap in the usual way andthe cover B and'sweat band C sewed in place. The cane material is very resilient and will resume its proper;

shape even after it had been disturbed by.

a blow or otherwise.

It will be apparent that the cap will: in.-

sure proper ventilation to the head of the" wearer when constructed iin a .manner as.

hereinbefore set forth, and also that its original shape will be permanently preserved. The frame will be materially reinforced or strengthenedby reason of the diagonal disposition of the strips 5 and 6,501- I in other words, the bias characteristic of the body thereof.

, It will be noted that the frame is madefrom a single piece and. that-the shape of the structure is produced by the spreading a of interlaced cane strips fastened to the wire 8, thereby obviating the necessity of constructing, it by the use of a number, of

curved or other shaped sections, and in this manner the frame is unbroken around. the circumference of the cap both atthe basal portion: and at the tip or upper portion, of the crown.

By reason ofthe lay of the strips 5 and 6 and the loose woven character thereof should the cover become stretohedtaut by shrink.- age of the same after wetting'over the frame :12'0 it will not cause the disfiguring of the cap as the cover will lie smooth and free from wrinkles or ridges. 7 What is cla1med-1s:.- In a cap, a frame having a body formed from loosely interlaced resilient strips, ar-

ranged in criss-cross fashion, with the said strips disposed diagonally with respect to each other and gradually diverging from connected to the edge of the expanded part the bottom to the top of the body, whereby of the body. 10 the latter is flared toward the said top In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature thereof, the edges of the body being cut on in presence of two Witnesses.

5 the bias, a stiifened band joined to and over- ORA D. SHAW.

lying substantially one-half of the Width Witnesses: of the body, the upper remaining free por- CARLTON W. WILSON, tion of the body being expanded, and a Wire FRANK D. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O." 

